Forest Park Firefighters Get a New Contract

Forest Park firefighters have a new contract, approved by the village board at their recent meeting. 

The new contract call for a three-year deal that allows for a small pay increase each year, and increased contributions toward the cost of health insurance.

Approved by commissioners Monday night, the agreement will provide a 1-percent pay increase this year, a 1.25-percent increase in the second and 2 percent in the third. The contract will expire April 30, 2015.

The contract, which was tentatively approved by both sides in mid-December, will affect 21 blue shirts and lieutenants.

Retroactive pay will go back to May 1, 2012.

Salary and health insurance were the principal issues during the several months of bargaining, which began during the summer, Village Administrator Tim Gillian said.

Pay for a starting firefighter during the first year of the contract will be $51,000; firefighters with five years' experience will get $78,400. Firefighters with more than five years experience will get an increase in their base pay only. A lieutenant during the first year will earn $90,237.46, according to the contract.

Starting with this agreement, employees' contributions toward the cost of insurance will go from 10 to 15 percent, or from 12 to 17 percent, depending on a firefighter's health insurance policy. 

Last year the total premium cost was between $500 and $1,700 monthly, based on the plan the employee was enrolled in, and how many members were in the family, Gillian said.

To help offset the rise in medical insurance premiums firefighters got an additional 1-percent raise as of Jan. 1, 2013, said Tom Conrad, president of Local 2753 of the International Association of Firefighters.

"It would have been a tough sell to my members (without an offset)," he said.

Gillian described negotiations as good and professional on both sides.

“There was a great willingness to work with the village on the health care issue, which was important to the village,” he said. “Costs are rising continuously.”

Conrad agreed.

"We've always gotten along fairly well with the administration; that helps. We have a good working relationship," Conrad said.

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